Apple has announced the release date for the iPhone in the UK, as well as finally revealing which telecoms carrier will offer the handset.

After months of speculation Apple said today that O2, the mobile UK mobile phone operator owned by Spain's Telefonica, would sell the 8GB handsets through Apple stores and the Carphone Warehouse for £269 from 9 November.

Buyers will have to sign up to an eighteen month contract, with a choice of three tariffs ranging between £35 and £55 per month. Subscribers will get unlimited anytime, anywhere mobile data usage, and free access to 7,500 wifi hotspots across the country.

“Our strategy at O2 is to bring our customers the best products and experiences”, said Matthew Key, chief executive O2 UK, said in a statement. “The iPhone is a breakthrough that is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we’re thrilled to have it exclusively for O2 customers in the UK”

The Quad-band handset has support for Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, as well as Edge and Bluetooth 2.0.